A hospital patient who attacked a police officer who arrested him after he threatened to murder people has been jailed.

Staff at the Princess Royal Hospital in Greenhead called police because of Liam Fitzgerald's alarming behaviour.

He was being treated there shortly after 4pm on November 26 and started acting in "an unusual way and saying he wanted to murder people", prosecutor Vanessa Jones said.

She told Kirklees magistrates that the officers went to speak with the homeless 23-year-old but he appeared angry and told them to 'f***k off' before repeatedly punching himself to the head with a clenched fist.

Mrs Jones said: "One of the officers grabbed his wrists and the other tried to put handcuffs on him.

"While that was happening he bit the officer's hand and spat at him, the spittle hitting him on the shoulder.

Princess Royal Health Centre

"He was detained and a spit and bite guard was put on to prevent him from assaulting anybody."

Mrs Jones said that the attacked officer was distressed by what happened.

She also read the Huddersfield court a statement from the West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Dee Collins, who told how assaults on police officers have an impact upon police and public resources.